DKM Hockey Podcast

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Gimme Five!

Performance review time at my company has come and gone. I received my review from my boss, and conducted some with my employees. My boss is a retired Colonel with the 82nd Airborne. He is not an in your face, screaming, walking recital of Full Metal Jacket. He is a leader and a teacher. He has done well professionally. What I admire most about him is his clear, fair, measurable, and reasonable expectations of me. I could ask nothing more from a boss. Every boss should do so much.

I’m trying to think of five measureable reasons why Scott Howson should continue to be the Columbus Blue Jackets general manager. I’m having a hard time thinking of two. Not in my cynical view on #CBJ life, but as if Scott Howson was a direct report of mine at work. You can’t compare the responsibilities and talents of a pro athlete to a slob like most of us in an office chair or at the mill. But what directly relates to our jobs is that of team management. Their responsibilities are not different than those of us doing the daily grind.

In my professional life, I refuse to believe that there are people smarter than me fixing what’s wrong with the company. I believe those people are of equal intelligence with experiences that allow them to exercise better judgment than me at this point in my career. I provide responsible and thoughtful contributions to my area of the company and speak to the executives with professionalism and let them know my ideas. Same with hockey.

So, in that light I look at Scott Howson as if he is sitting across the desk from me at review time. I look at the clear, fair, measurable, and reasonable expectations that I have for any General Manager. I can’t find one expectation that he’s met with full marks. Nor can I find a compliment for him professionally, other than he is genuine in his actions while being honest and approachable person.

So I turn to you, fans of the CBJ. Help me write a performance review for Scott Howson and find five compelling reasons to allow him to retain his duties and General Manager.I’m stuck at one – He has never offered Mike Milbury a job with the Blue Jackets. Help me find four more credible reasons…